Priya's India Trip

If you thought we were busy before, our lives have not shown the slightest bit of slowing down. In mid-April, I headed for India on business. I travelled to almost all the four corners of India; from the North - Noida; South - Bangalore; East - Hyderabad and the West - Pune. With each stop I had the opportunity to visit with either friends or family. Business wise, it was definitely lots of work but it was also enjoyable to meet new people and collaborate as a team. In Pune, I spent time with Munni and her husband. We ate at a great Chinese restaurant and then talked the night away at a new coffee shop, "Mocha." One of the trendiest places in Pune. I hadn't seen Munni for exactly ten years, and it was great catching up.

After my short trip in Pune, I missed my connecting flight in Mumbai. Thank goodness that Udayan was there though. Instead of being stranded at the airport, I had a game plan and headed to a hotel for the night as there were no more flights to Hyderabad until the next day. Udayan met up with me and showed me the lifestyle of the rich and famous in Mumbai. First we headed to Olives restaurant in Bandra, which had small portion food, bad service, and extravagant prices. Supposedly this is the place to be on the weekend for bollywood star sightings. Then off to the trendiest club, Poison. Even though it was Wednesday night it was jam-packed with wannabe movie stars, music djs, and OC kids and with a Rs. 2000 (approx. $50) cover charge, this club was the most happening place in the city. With Udayan's connections we got in VIP and then also into the DJ's exclusive party in a secret room inside the club. After partying (or half-sleeping) into the wee hours of the morning (5 am to be exact) it was time to head out as I had a flight at 8 am. Thanks for a great time Udayan!

I spent my 27th birthday in Hyderabad with my family. It was great to see everyone and spend time with them. We went to Paradise Hotel in Secunderabad which has the best Hyderbadi Biriyani as well as plenty of other great dishes. I did plenty of shopping while there, frequenting the malls and shops. Even though it was terribly hot, I enjoyed spending most of the days in the AC office or inside my hotel.

Next stop, Bangalore. Despite the heat in all the other locations in India, Bangalore presented a different spin. While shopping in the mid-day with Sangeetha who stopped by to visit from Manipal, it started to pour down rain. This helped cool everything down, but also got us soaked standing on the side of MG road. Not the best situation. Bangalore is definitely one of my favorite cities. It was also great to spend time with Chakri's family and Soni & Aju.

I finally reached Noida, during my last week in India. Here I caught up with Roopa and Kesh. Roopa and I spent the entire week together shopping, eating, and chatting away into the middle of the night. We also visited all the cousins and caught up with everyone in Pizza Hut at Connaught Place. Noida was by far the hottest place, with temperatures reaching 107 degrees! Not the place to visit in the summertime. Despite the heat, we travelled around to various places and ate food at some of my favorite places like Papa Johns pizza and roasted corn on the roadside. I also got to see Spiderman 3 in the theater and walk around Shipra mall (the best place to go to keep cool). Despite travelling for three weeks, there was no way I would miss watching American Idol, so every Wednesday and Thursday in India, I was completely caught up with the latest happenings of American Idol. Ahhhh...globalization, thank goodness! Wherever I go, I can always catch up on good ol' American television. India was alot of fun, especially since I stayed in comfortable five star hotels and didn't have to spend too much time in the heat. Of course, I'll be back, but next time, I will make it a winter trip. Roopa & Kesh see you again soon! And next time you better come with me down South!